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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27836854">Abandoned Boogie (Lightness)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindtaleteller/pseuds/blindtaleteller'>blindtaleteller</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Platovember Prompts 2020 [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Loki - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Humor, Anxiety, Attempt at Humor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Lokiverse - Freeform, Manipulation, Mixology (Lokiverse), Past Abuse, Platovember, Platovember 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:28:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,700</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27836854</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindtaleteller/pseuds/blindtaleteller</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Back in Malibu, Tony counts down the days to his meeting with Loki after his rest order; weeding through the one part that was left entirely to him: getting out of the house and the immediate present of Hill to get down the coast and get his answers. The current situation and his recorded stress levels leave him very few believable options..</p><p> </p><p>-<br/>(This one is a continuation of the previous entry in this series : WHAT FOR - [Fall.])</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>platonic - Relationship, pre-frostiron - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Platovember Prompts 2020 [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1999015</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Frostiron (loki/tony), Loki, Platonic Relationships, Prompted Writing</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Abandoned Boogie (Lightness)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Universe/Door 15's Loki (Grey) and Tony (Leadsprite) again! </p><p>This particular muse along with Charmer, has a very loud voice. Which probably isn't too much of a surprise for anyone who's read DREAMS up to chapter 10 and recognize him from the Vestibule table.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <ul>
<li>IDENTIFY LOCATION: LEADSPRITE - INTER-DIMENSIONAL IDENTIFICATION CONFIRMED : HVRA0616-9H-15</li>
<li>---INTER-UNIVERSAL DOORWAY ENTRY POINT H15 : OBSERVATIONAL STATUS - TVA INTERFERENCE: <em>DETECTED. A-2 INTERMEDIARY DEPLOYED IN UNKNOWN VARIANCE.<br/>
</em>
</li>
<li>----MIDGARD NORTHERN HEMISPHERE : NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT : SUBURBAN AREA DETECTED - VISITATION CAUTIONS <strong><em>ADVISED</em></strong> : MALIBU CALIFORNIA</li>
<li>------KNOWN DOMESTIC TIME VARIANCE : 5:54 AM US PST</li>
</ul><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u">-=//Abandoned Boogie\\=-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>          The first day wasn't bad. Tinkering around in the garage, watching Hill fall asleep through her attempts at being interested in his peripherals while he repaired and refitted the suit he'd brought with him and checked in on the one being likewise refitted in New York while touching base with Pepper. They went over new floor plans, and upgrades;and the idea of basically making it what would pretty much be an Avengers crash pad there in Manhattan. He'd contacted Bruce to get his input too, because hey; mad scientists did occasionally need a lab slash lair from which to work too,  and Banners' field and what he'd need was a little out of his scope in some places. Playing it normal was easy, day one. There was a lot for Tony to do and think about, other than those questions. Night was a whole other thing of course, but .. three days to go! Three, more days. Just gotta keep it up.</p><p>      Day two wasn't so bad either.  Building the new suit; because he'd said that was what he was gonna do? And after the fall, he did feel like he needed more options, more compact, more control prior to contact; and lets face it: just a few more ways to not go splat on the ground available that didn't involve needing to be saved by a literal fairy tale prince with a highly manipulative, twisted nature he still wasn't sure he could trust one hundred percent. He also made his first run out of the house, when the monotony of waiting for the parts to be cut and at least partially assembled for test was going on. Nothing big. Quick run to CVS. Some ibuprofen; another extension chord, shampoo that didn't smell like a whole pot of mint tea had been reduced in the bottle; and a package of Hohos. Also trying really hard to pretend Nat's blatantly obvious red flag hair wasn't, under the cubs hat and not look when she almost turned into the aisle and right into him. But, he wasn't counting that, because he'd been expecting it. Tony went to sleep wondering if Shield was even trying not to be noticed, though.</p><p>         <em>I mean, isn't there like a whole agency; or is it more like twelve to twenty they've run through a cloning machine or something? What <strong>is</strong> that?</em></p><p>    Day three was a little more restless. Running out of key materials and Hill half pretending more interested in her Kindle than in whatever mess he was up to in the kitchen and then the gym and then in the pool totally did not help while he was waiting for parts. Without something to work on other than confirming stuff and helping direct Pepper from the other side of the continent left way too much headspace to allow him to think about the date tomorrow. And also reminded him that he still hadn't come up with an excuse. A reason to leave the house for a few hours without company. He made two trips out this time and as a result. Casually planned; natural. One for McDonalds first thing in the morning because who cares if hash browns are bad for you when they taste that damn good fresh out of the frier: and the other one in the afternoon to the nearest department store because he didn't feel like waiting the extra for delivery after snapping another wrench head when it was just a twenty minute drive to Sears.</p><p>             Clint this time, hanging out in the nearby sporting goods section. Not really watching him so much as just stalking while the sales guy chatted him up about tool warranties he already knew, but hey. It was fun watching Barton try to come up with a reason for being there out of the corner of his eye, in hearing range; without his voice giving him away. He had to say, Barton was a lot better at that part. He pulled off a southern accent pretty well, and knew his local hunts well enough to ask for licensing for what was in season upstate. Totally redeemed Nat's near-botch the day prior. If Tony hadn't been paying attention; or been watching for Barton in particular he wouldn't have even noticed him. At all. Which, made sleeping that night a little tougher. These guys did this professionally, right? How did he know the salesman wasn't one of them? A plant, or whatever. Like Nat had been. The kid at the drive through could've been too.</p><p>         <em> Okay. No.. you're getting paranoid now. Sleep needs to happen.</em></p><p> Except; his brain knew day four was just hours away. And reminded him he had a date. With <em>the devil.</em> Which; he <em>still</em> didn't have an excuse for.</p><p>Somehow, he was going to have to leave Hill behind without rousing more suspicion than he was already under; and manage some distance between him and whatever tail he had for the day. Had yet, to check where he was going actually was other than knowing it was on the coast and no farther than maybe a thirty minute drive. So that had to be fixed too. Tony was staring at the ceiling, no sleep under his belt; cooped up and-- <em>oh.</em> " <strong>Oh!</strong> " sitting up when it and the general time of said date hit him, and immediately jumped to getting dressed. He had slow down for this to work though. Let the tension hit. The advice Loki had given him up there had worked til now.</p><p>     <em> " Don't lie too often.. lies are cheap and flimsy under the weight of suspicion and moderate intelligence. And, they'll hurt you and your purpose more than a working half truths. "</em></p><p>   Which, had been ringing around in his brain on and off for a lot of different reasons; applying that thought and formula to everything Tony seen in the past two, maybe three weeks since Loki had landed? And putting question to more as a result but: <em>yeah. That could work.</em></p><p>Getting up early would be to his advantage. Because when did he do that without Pepper there to push him out of bed? Never, that's when. Unless, you know; he hadn't bothered to go to sleep after a night in the garage.  In which case she was usually actually pushing him into it instead. God, but he was in so much damned trouble with that woman when she found out.</p><p>        <em>More fuel for the tension fire though right? Need to let that hang out.</em></p><p> No tucking that or the tired away today. He was at the pot of coffee and pulled down the new bottle of ibuprofen to greet Hill as a sight when she came out of the guest room hall. Naturally she asked if he was okay, starting off the day on pain killers that doubled as fever reduction. And naturally, he faked blowing off the fact he was running a headache and hadn't slept and it was probably just the leftover New York tension finally bottoming out. He waited until eight to call Pepper over half burnt eggs, still earlier than he usually got up just because that's what he would have done; checking test flight plans for the new mark in the garage that told him exactly, where he was going tonight along with the background noise of Saturday morning cartoons and made a point of <em>not</em> hamming it up too hard and avoiding her question of whether or not he was okay when she noted the hour by suggesting she might come out for what was left of the weekend and give him some much desired company and girlfriend-like affection. Which, he knew was going to be shot down even if he hadn't been acting an extra degree of egotistical asshat in the process specifically, to <em>ensure</em> she would say no.</p><p>             Not that he needed it with as much as he'd piled on her plate back east? Just that he wanted the assurance she would stay clear; and the opportunity to argue with her:<em> just</em> so he could threaten going down to the beach to go boogie boarding without her later in the day, while Hill was pretending not to listen in reading whatever romance <em>he</em> was pretending he <em>hadn't</em> peeked at last time she'd fallen asleep on the other end of his Harley collection. Small, natural things. Itty bitty start of a setup. Lunch, McDonalds again; double standard in making her feel comfy with him going out unsupervised when he went in this time and took the extra fifteen to eat a through a large soft serve with granola and a pack of dried cranberries from the gas station next door there and sign an autograph or two for the cute kids some working mom had brought in for a fast and cheap breakfast on their way to school.</p><p>  And yeah; Tony ignored the truck he was betting Nat was sitting in to watch him in the adjusted rear view mirror while she ate at the end of the drive through; fixing his eyes on the TV in there to keep him from the temptation to even give it a second glance.</p><p>       Ordered the usual after so it'd still be fresh when he got it home, plus one of the hot-pocket-like blueberry pies Hill seemed to have a thing for as an <em>'apology'</em> for the longer trip and bit of buttering he didn't want to skip on. When lunch rolled around he actually cooked to make up for the shitty amount of junk food he was shoving through his system; making note of the amazing day outside after trying to weasel a few updates out of her on the manhunt. He was waiting on parts anyway. Not much to do. Had she ever been surfing? No..? Well he had guessed that but hey. Should totally try it sometime. Tony knew a great instructor. Knew a few actually.</p><p>   Cue the respectful, smiling, expected decline as planned: and they were back at talking about how he<em> totally was <strong>not</strong></em> trying to charm and weasel gossip out of her about Nat and Clint since she'd worked with them even longer. Even if he got a little out of it anyway. Not that he'd probably remember that tomorrow, but who knew. Wasn't important. What <em>was</em> important was planting the subtle if repeated thought that hey: Stark is getting the idea of hitting the water on a gorgeous day. And he's been a <em>really</em> good boy! Because Hill was a tough lady, but he'd also been able to note she was a <em>bit</em> of a softie. A lot easier for <em>her</em> to remember that who she was watching was a human person. He'd seen and heard that from his holding cell and in interrogation; repeatedly.</p><p>  As far as she knew <em>--and he did still consider himself one--</em> Tony was an ally, if one who might be unknowingly screwing the pooch; and was <em>pretty determined</em> to prove he wasn't, now that he was already in it up to his hips. Even if that lovely part of Hill was, exactly what he was playing to get his window: he did admire her for it. And really hoped she didn't lose any of it when and if they ever caught on, because of him. Because of days like this. If there were going to be more of them; and he had a sneaking suspicion there were going to be more. Tony didn't see a lot of other options though, that wouldn't seriously screw over a lot of people including number one, or things in general, and waste time and opportunities he didn't think he or they would get if the devil he was setting up to meet was in a cell instead of feeling comfortable in his math.</p><p>    The rest was just biding time. Working, building when the parts came through. And then the remote flight test. That; Hill was present for and interested in: just as he wanted and needed. There when he spotted the sloping cape and high-set pier a good twenty seven minutes away along the coastal drive, hanging over and leading pointed right at the end of La Jolla beach that, was just the <em>perfect</em> place for a day like this.</p><p>         <em>Or, you know; concealing a clandestine meeting with a fugitive from another planet.</em></p><p>  Stark thought he timed it pretty well. Had forty minutes til high tide would start rolling in. Spent some time out on the pool patio while running a few adjustments and simulations with Jarvis: and made sure she saw him occasionally checking out that beach after another quick run to CVS for a bag of dried blueberries and almonds. Naturally, Hill was dozing off in the first fifteen minutes. Not that he blamed her; the couch was comfy and well warmed by the sun from where she was watching him when he headed calmly for the bedroom; pretended to contemplate it a minute while he was in his closet and just swapped modes and changed into his wet suit, stepped into his water shoes: grabbed the keys to the car and <em>--last minute decision--</em> snagged two boards  instead of one.</p><p>      Hill was too groggy to say no when he breezed through complaining he wanted out in that weather and water; offering to take her for the drive and wave ride for her to say yes. Tony was a quick talker though when he wanted to be; and the fact he didn't see her exit the front of the house until well after the cover offer of buying her authentic Mexican from the the very rural restaurant in the other direction from most civilization on the coast told him the fact he'd slipped in he might be gone five to six hours had only just then registered as he was pulling out of the driveway.</p><p>          Exit <em>accomplished.</em> Music cranked up; AC/DC, loud enough to mess with their audio but not enough for them to miss the direction entirely.  " Jarvis, lead me in to that cape and find me a good parking spot; would ya pal? I wanna get there before the tide starts in. Gimme a timer for that, actually. Also, when does that Mexican place off the PCH close? Hill said she wanted tostadas... ...the little shack that went up near Neptune's Net? " he saw the truck pull in behind him off a dirt track just after he cleared the most traveled bit of the neighborhood and hit the gas. Pretty sure when it turned to follow, that there; was his tail.</p><p>      He didn't drive any different than he did on a normal day. Which meant fast, and loud, and pretty much leaving whoever had been on his bumper way behind without them drawing attention. They could have called the cops to slow him down, he was sure; but they didn't. Which said this was test one, wasn't it. And he sure hoped his trust in those 'playing everything and everyone' abilities wasn't finding Loki on an off day. Because it would seriously suck to get busted on this first move. But, he was also hoping the reason why they hadn't busted the cops out on him was because they were watching to some extent only at the distance he needed. As he pulled in across the Highway, he had good and left the truck behind, and had his directions up in his head like a mantra to keep his nerves down and his guard up as he made for it. He'd <em>'scout the waves'</em> first, before heading down.</p><p>       <em>Stairs facing the cliff; stairs, facing the cliff. Not the beach.</em></p><p>           Except, he didn't get a step past those stairs before he got pulled to a stop by his wrist. Instant jolt of adrenaline. Immediate harsh sense of floating like he was a balloon about to be popped, slight light-headedness. <em>Busted?</em></p><p>                <strong>No.</strong> And the undisguised if much more casual look on the blue eyed Asgardian immediately had his head whipping for the road: only to catch along the way on an image of himself doing exactly, what he'd intended to do. In perfect mimicry and motion. " <em>...right.</em> " because Tony could put that together pretty quickly. " Illusions. Can <em>anyone</em> see us up here? " got a shake of his head and finger to Loki's lips even as he was being tugged down the stairs that told him they could hear him though.</p><p>      Got another surprise, three flights down; when instead of continuing on, Loki pulled him right through a rail and onto a previously unseen platform underneath. " Clear, for <em>now.</em> So long as you don't raise your voice. I heard you coming. The locals were asked to sit aside and report your progress.. they are currently using Shield frequencies to avoid <em>Jarvis'</em> attention..? "</p><p>          " Figures. I been kind of locking them out of my doings slowly over the last few days.. " was distracted, looking at the underside of that pier; it looked completely different. Decidedly <em>not,</em> something he would have expected to see in earth architecture, least of all state funded given the materials he was seeing there the longer he looked and followed him back towards the cliff face. " ...was this even built by the highway commission? "</p><p>                " <strong>No.</strong> It's something I started to set up a year ago, while Thor was exiled to New Mexico. " surprised him a little. " Satellite images aren't too difficult to get to and manipulate, thankfully. And no one really pays attention except the locals. That didn't take terribly much to manipulate either. "</p><p>                     " Yeah because a structure like this is easy to just pop outta nowhere without question? " Got a little chuckle as the blue eyed almost-god flipped mid step to smile at him. Actually smile at him. " If I was bad, at tricking people into believing what I need, even on a smaller scale like this; do you think they'd <em>still</em> call me the God of Mischief? " And <em>okay; true,</em> and he was here; and point made. Tony noticed 'himself' heading down the other stairs just after the cliff opened like the proper Bat-cave the place seemed to be: and had to ask. " My fake gonna hold up to scrutiny out there, for five and halfish hours? "</p><p>       " Longer if need be. Though there <em>shouldn't</em> be, a need. " and;  inside, past what felt like a low-yield energy field? For some reason Tony was finally able to let go of his nerves. Take in some more details, as he followed. First thing he noticed was that the walk in wasn't exactly a walkway. It was a short runway; for a sleek little ship that might pass for a stealth jet he almost bumped into parked just inside and to the right. Shiny black ..purple and green maybe? Metallic undertones either way, but pretty, smooth and sharp at the front as a piece of glass, or closer to the shape and odd reflective color in the near dark of the enclosure; and elongated obsidian arrowhead, barely trimmed in what definitely was not chrome at the very edges but was polished so finely it could pass.</p><p>          This was not a thing Tony could pass without comment, or slowing down to admire and try to identify better along the way. " Pretty machine.. " came first, along with " ..where was she made..? " when he couldn't identify it; slowed Loki to a turning stop past it's nose as Tony found himself blindly laying the boogie board. A glance with the lack of answer as he was passing under one wing, looking for panel seams he hadn't found yet pulled him to a pause with the near stare; he knew that kind of look for a moment, he thought: but tucked the idea away because, he didn't think that was a possibility. " ..somewhere off world? " Pulled a slow nod and a quick, almost scanning, skipping glance across the odd finish before those blue eyes fixed on him again.</p><p>      " She was built in a secret corner of Asgard. Small, private shipyard in what passes for the countryside; Bol til Saxl. " The Ls were almost completely silent, but Tony heard them there. " A very rare breed, actually. You have a good eye. "</p><p>               " Kinda my<em> thing..</em> " felt odd to say and odder with the way he was being watched, and the way one handful of fingers polished off with similarly dark paint slipped along the dark arrow's skin on his way. " ...she custom made, then? Got a particular purpose or name? "</p><p>                       " <strong>Yes.</strong> " had an answer behind it and he knew it just by the odd weight of the quiet. " This, is the Veitsi. " pulled at Tony's brow because as his mouth kicked out immediately " Huh. In Finnish that means -- " only to be joined with Loki's weirdly smooth tones and slight amusement with the same word. " --knife. " and broaden his smile at him, like he'd found or was looking at a point of interest<em> in</em> Stark suddenly that sort of made Tony feel like he was being examined, and not in an entirely bad or unfamiliar way when he continued and answered the rest: " I'm aware. That's <em>why</em> I chose it. The Veitsi is.. sixth, in a <em>long</em> line of inter-atmospheric vessels designed to slip from and slice through one world's environment to the next, without the need --though she does possess the<em> ability</em> these days-- to bother with traveling through the void. All of them, are named appropriately. The Stiletto, the Lancet, Veitsi, Cuchillo, Nuz, Messer, Cutit.. <em>more.</em> "</p><p>       " <em>All</em> yours? " received a nod, and an extra turn of amusement that had him looking back up and following the smooth underside at a turn of his necessary at his height which; had Tony only then noting Loki's grace had him following with an extra bend to the knees he hadn't been noted til then. " Must do good work inside too, if you commissioned <em>that</em> many. Rich guy by now I imagine? What with a former prince of Asgard as a client. " The laugh surprised him, enough his head whipped back his way peeking under what was definitely the swell of an engine. And had Tony squinting at the laughing still inward fold of his lips definitely meant to keep it in. " ..what. "</p><p>   " Nothing. " was utter bullshit and he could tell. " Believe me when I say the only persons who <em>might've</em> made credit off of <strong><em>this</em></strong> work, were the farmers surrounding Bol Til Saxl whom were consistently rewarded for their loyalty; and those who provided the raw materials to build them one or two at a time. " was kind of confusing before Loki started back after another glance at the underside, motioning for Tony to follow. Hand first, and nod of his head the way of the strongest light source in the broad-ish space under the fake pier. " This isn't what you came to ask though, <em>hm?</em> I did see what I assume was <em>your</em> latest work overhead though. Working on simplifying the overall design? I noticed that one had fewer seams..? "</p><p>         " Well <em>yeah.</em> " was, he could admit feeling a little proud the details hadn't gone unnoticed and smiling for it. Hill didn't get the stuff, fell asleep through most of it. And with Pepper out east; there was pretty much no one but Jarvis and the dunce to appreciate what improvements he made. He'd forgotten what that tone sounded like, Tony realized. " If I get shoved out another sixty story window, compact and quicker might be a nice change. " actually made Loki shake his head; before Tony spat out one of those questions; unable and unwilling to keep from cutting right to it. " ...why'd you catch me, by the way? " and putting a stop to him at the lit table.</p><p>    Workbench, actually; now that he looked at it. Not that it or the crazy tools were something as interesting to him as stepping up and propping his butt up there to face him so his expressions and eyes especially couldn't escape Tony's watch.</p><p>            Which, must have come off pretty clear as an intention. Because all Loki did was turn his chiseled features up at Tony more solidly and fix his ..man bun. Which, he pulled off a lot better than the polished spikes he'd been sporting last time they'd laid eyes on each other in person. And it was weird. The wicked, mean, jade prince he'd taken in that first time was pretty much transformed in a way too long for him dark grey henley scrunched up around his elbows and hips, scuffed up darker grey boots almost on a cowboy point and ...actually the tight leather pants looked like they might be the only bit that might have made their way out of New York, now that he looked. Black, with a long strip of near-black greens in thumb-wide horizontal strips at and odd angle. Approachable. That's what had him settling on the workbench so easily. He was approachable; and a curiosity, with those much more relaxed expressions.</p><p>      " Do you really have to ask that question, after having almost ten days to think about it and think, yourself..? "  actually sounded a little put off before the words " If so, I've sorely overestimated you. " yanked Tony's brown eyes right back up to the blues waiting for them from the inspection.</p><p>        <em>That's, how you're playing this? And with that cat that ate the canary smile?</em></p><p>  " <em>That</em> evasion? Not gonna pass. " Only made that smile curl more as he took the levered stool in front of the workbench, without looking away. Guy moved like a cat. Or a ..actually yeah; cat. <em>Or a boa constrictor.</em> Smooth, natural dignity, and pretty danger just waiting to slip it's tail around his neck and strangle the life out of his prey; and he knew, how he looked. Didn't he.</p><p>           Yeah, the little tick of his head like he was reading these thoughts as if Stark was printing them out on the skin in view? The lack of an audible laugh right there on his face, too smooth turn of the stool as his right picked up ...some kind of tool meant for fine control work, that much he knew: and Tony was absolutely sure he knew. It kicked Stark's chin up a notch. Jerked his brows briefly before he said. " Or I could, you know; <em>blow</em> this cover .. " managed a small sigh out of him that was slightly satisfying. " ..it'd <em>definitely</em> put me on a better list than I'm currently on; betraying every ally I've made up<em> 'til</em> you, solely for the fact you did. "</p><p>    " Is it? The reason. " was a more serious tone, and brought Tony's brow down at him before he flipped a holo visor down over his eyes. He saw the faint outline of blueprints. Definitely mechanical. Divided his attention for a few moments after the glance from that to him and then down to the wiring he was apparently working on. At least it looked like a wire junction to him. Super-fine work, as in: very tiny pieces. No wonder the thing looked like it was sharper than an ice pick. Little different from what he was used to, but hey. " Pretty much that and wanting the confirmation as to why. "</p><p>         " Ah.<em> Well.</em> Truthfully, I'm debating still whether you actually want <em>or</em> need those answers. " as he started ..well pretty much drawing the leads across the small panel; which: hey and okay <em>was pretty cool</em> since it formed it's own grooves as he worked and etched them in and switched materials with a slight slide of his thumb for the next one. " I had hoped this time would allow you time enough to ask those questions under a different context at least. Or for someone else to. You gave the answers yourself. " threw him a little, and had him looking at his blue eyes through the visor for more that didn't come.</p><p>    " Elaborate, on that please? "</p><p>           " Why and what for. " were words of his own he had heard played back in his own head who knew how many times over the last almost two weeks. " There is no throne. <em>Not inaccurate.</em> Not <em>here.</em> Not in a place Asgard considers under it's protection. Even if, I managed an army here, which I could: <em>technically.</em> The simplest fact remains that the Bifrost would <em>not</em> be in disrepair <em>forever..</em> " and those blue eyes of him met Tony's browns again over the edge of that visor, flicking it's view from one angle to another. " ...and the Chitauri while a nuisance in numbers sometimes; are not, the most reliable standing force. Especially not on <em>--no offense meant but--</em> " his tool was motioned over his work; an example of " --a society not only this far behind the rest I could have more cleanly acquired with less notice or care from my former Fosters, but also a great deal more yield and capability as subjects. "</p><p>        Back to his work again " Earth is fun, <em>occasionally:</em> when you aren't killing yourselves in one way or another. I even like it here, <em>over</em> Asgard; that aside. " was, actually a compliment, Tony realized: and an earnest one. " But and frankly; you of all people, given your previous profession as a weapons monger know <em>very well</em> you're <em>still too busy</em> doing that on a <em>societal level</em> for me to make any use of more than a fraction of the population, if that: if I had. Even <em>if</em> I gave you the capability elsewise, your governments would sooner shoot with your neighbor in your sights than an <em>actual</em> problem. "</p><p> And yes. That touched a nerve. Five or six of them; actually. Knew exactly, how that thought process went. Had seen the proof of it, brought it out publicly in the middle of the hearing, not nearly long enough ago.</p><p>   He could hear<em> Stane.</em></p><p>   Hear Obidiah's words again, right over his ear; right there in front of him like the ugly reminder it was of his own very personal experience with that sort. Almost see the old arc reactor he'd forcibly yanked out of Tony's chest in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>                                 <strong> <em>A new generation of weapons... with this at its heart.  </em></strong></p><p> </p><p>         The threat aimed at Pepper on his way out. He heard that more dimly, compared to Loki's words. " Even your Avengers. <em>Six</em> people? Out of <em>eight billion, <strong>really?</strong></em> And they expected you to what, shield them <em>all?</em> No, the project was shut down because they <em>all</em> wanted unique control. And especially, <em>control;</em> of what is essentially for that lack of unity, the uncontrollable and thankfully so. Could you imagine? " Pulled at Tony's eyes again, had them watching him while he worked. " Banner, his temper set loose whenever someone needed a target area eliminated instead of a missile? " Which, made him sick to think about and probably would have been enough to turn Bruce green again; but it got his point across. " Mark my words, you won't see the end of <em>that</em> desire for some time either. "</p><p>              " What, so.. you saw the <em>inevitability,</em> and bailed on your third party? " got the blunt end pointed briefly at his face. " <em>No,</em> getting close. If that were the case, why come here at all? Waste of time, and energy. "</p><p>                     Tony didn't like these kinds of games when he was in college. And it was slightly annoying him now. Maybe less so for the too-real reminders. " Thor thinks it personal. "</p><p>           " Yes well, the <em>major</em> flaw in<em> that</em> statement; is the first two words of that phrase: '<em>Thor thinks.</em>' That is a <em>massive</em> misconception on the part of most individuals who do come across him however. So, <em>forgiven. </em>" did make Tony have to unzip the neckline of his wetsuit in an attempt not to laugh. " Trust me, the more time you spend with him; the easier it will be to identify that <em>particular</em> fact. "</p><p>     " I guess you'd know yeah? He's <em>your</em> brother. "</p><p>            " Foster. "</p><p>                   " We call it <em>adopted</em> here. He did, too.  "</p><p>                             " Unsurprising, <em>but.<strong> No...</strong></em> " put a little more pause to Tony's thoughts, or at least the absolution in his tone did. " ...they called it fostering <em>here too,</em> if several centuries ago. " knit his brow a little farther and pulled Tony to face him  better, and his ass further away from tools he didn't know well enough to mess with while he was at it. " Actually I don't think you <em>came up</em> with another term; once it largely fell out of practice here. Not without using unsavory words no one; least of all Asgard's throne likes to be associated with. " Threw him further out yet before Loki asked. " How much time <em>did</em> you manage, again...? "</p><p>      " ...I told Hill six hours at most; enough to hit the tide twice. " a brief check on his watch. " About an hour and forty five ago. " and jumped in quick before he could change the subject again with " Doesn't answer the question though. Why save <em>me.</em> "</p><p> Full stop on his work, and Tony noted his expression was; definitely harder at the tool in his hand. Held for a few seconds; long enough for Stark to notice the muscle moving in his jaw, even behind the loose wave that had come out of the messy bun on his side. Maybe, at least some of it <em>was</em> more personal than he was letting on? There was something itching at the back of Stark's mind though, scrabbling back there in that little motion that felt <em>again; too familiar.</em></p><p>   " Personal choice.  " wasn't what he was expecting the same. But then he wasn't done. " I had no intention to harm you to an irreparable degree. I heard the station running some time after I came in. I thought, you could manage; if I was careful enough. The math partway down proved that wrong. "</p><p>        Which was still as hard a pill to swallow as it was sweet. On one hand, he hadn't been overthinking the physics; Loki hadn't had the intention to kill him after all. On the other.. if that was the case " You weren't playing for keeps? " actually made him laugh again, or  rather almost grunt one at him before he set the tool aside to look him in the eye and state the obvious with a lot kinder wording, even if the tone was a little condescending. " I think, I already established that with my <em>previous</em> words; don't <em>you?</em> "</p><p>  <em> Yeah. You did.</em></p><p>Meeting those eyes he knew very well he didn't have to say that out loud. And that he wasn't being asked to really, either. That was when what bothered him really hit, too. The needling, didn't come so much from not knowing. It was from knowing he had the answers somewhere right there in front of him; being estimated as being smart enough and perceptive enough by this guy: his opposition? And falling a little short, on grasping the concept.</p><p>      Still.. " I'm not a complete fuck up;  else you wouldn't be talkin' to me right now: <em>would</em> you. " a nod to the Veitsi, standing quiet and sleek on the flat of her blade where he'd passed her.  " And you aren't done; <em>this,</em> isn't done. Or you would've jet by now. Unless you're just going at repairs? "</p><p>  " New engine, actually. " Surprised him on a <em>whole</em> other level that was instantly jumping up and down on one side of his brain and needed to be tranquilized like an overexcited elephant had suddenly appeared and was playing on an unseen trampoline in the room. " But <em>no.</em> Not for my current knives. Busy work I've been playing with to not go bloody mad. So yes. <em>Far</em> from finished. Perhaps years from it. "</p><p>        " You're<em> ..new engine?</em> You.. " breath in, Loki was looking at him over the visor again and <em>damn it brain; no.</em> " You? Are just trying to  <em><strong>...distract</strong> me,</em> at every turn; aren't you.<em> That's <strong>bait!</strong></em> " and had him smiling. Smiling! At the elephant hopping around in his cranium basically going<strong> ENGINE! SPACE ENGINE!</strong> While Tony was trying <em>really hard</em> not to let that work, not to immediately want to ask five <em>million</em> questions what he saw in his visor, <em>not; <strong>instantly</strong></em> want to pick at what he was doing instead of what he'd come here for. " That's a <em><strong>horribly</strong> accurate</em> and <em>cruel, <strong>cruel</strong> I say;</em> level of bait that; I am<em> probably</em> gonna give into. " had his shoulders shaking. " So <em>fuck, you; <strong>sir..</strong></em> ..and<em> also,</em> I wanna see it. "</p><p>    " These.. are a <em>little <strong>bigger</strong></em> than your repulsors. " got Loki a clean and clear " Yeah buddy; screw you <em>again,</em> for <em>waving the candy</em> in front of the <em>baby's</em> face. <strong>Yeah!</strong> That's right. I'm <em>aware</em> of the age differences here, y'fossil. "</p><p>" <strong><em>..fossil?</em></strong> " as he stood up and; <em>well.</em> However the mood had jumped up so fast; it was changing faster when he leaned in and planted his hands on either side of Tony at the edge of the workbench. There was silver in those eyes... some pale, <em>pale</em> green too. " You are aware; that if I<em> were</em> human, I would be <em>younger</em> than you..? " was a growl that startled Tony in a whole other way.</p><p>  It took him a second or two to recover from the weird lightness that came with it. " <strong>Oh.</strong> " Kind of like a bubble caught in his stomach that wouldn't move.  " ...so, I should be calling you kid <em>instead?</em> "  was a little late, but he managed the sass well enough; with enough humor that, the Trickster visibly ran his tongue along the full inside of his lower lip. " I <em>know..</em> I'm cheeky. You're gonna <em>have</em> to get <em>used</em> to that. Kinda <em>stuck</em> with me now. " small pause, the realization of his own that " You kinda had me at building a space engine... like; <em>instantly.</em> " and he held up a finger as the other brunette took his seat again shaking his head. " Should've <em>led off</em> with that! "</p><p>                " I'll have to keep that in mind. "</p><p>                           " Seriously though; I gone too far. I'm already in.. " pulled the buoyancy of their space even again: to better, tolerable levels. A place where Loki's expectations, and Tony's questions weren't weighing down the air between them any more. Or on either of their shoulders. It was a small thing, maybe. But that small sliver of trust and familiarity pulled tons from between him and Stark saw it. If he didn't say this now; he wouldn't find a better time. " ..I'm risking the life <em>you saved</em> here, and everything I like about it; trusting you further by even showing up. All I'm asking for in return, is clear answers. I'm a smart guy; I am. But even I can't run numbers without the full equation. "</p><p>        Finally, finally: he saw the give coming, with that. Well before he said " Fair, but.. ...it won't be easy to hear. <em>Or</em> deal with. " which was too promising not to smile a little at.</p><p>   " I kinda figured that much, at least. "  got him what was probably an equally lopsided smile in return; before he hopped off the workbench. " Both <em>still here</em> though. "</p><p>And " Both still <em>here.</em> " as a confirmation he intended to stick with it to the end just with the exasperated tone alone, was enough to pull keep the lightness to whatever was in front of them at an even enough keel, even if just for now.  Even if it was just to hear it.</p><p>                   " ...gonna have to get good and drenched before I leave by the way. " had the <em>millenia</em>-old <em>'youngsters'</em> brows going up towards the ceiling briefly; before Tony hiked a thumb at his board where he'd left it. " It's gonna be weird if I went Boogie boarding and didn't get in the ocean...? "</p><p>" <em>Ah.</em> I'll go with you later. We can match that up with your false double leaving the beach. "</p><p>   " Kinda wish I<em> could</em> manage it. <strong><em>Gorgeous</em></strong> day out there. Maybe we can try together another day. " came out even as he was leaning in over the work at hand, all too curious now to see what exactly the junction was for.. trying to ignore the charming little smile in his peripherals.</p>
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